US hails India as key partner

US envoy William Burns on Wednesday hailed India as a key partner and promised warmer ties between the two nations as he met with government ministers in New Delhi.
Burns, the US under secretary of state for political affairs, began his three-day visit ahead of a possible trip by Secretary of State Hillary Clinton next month.
He said he had been dispatched by Washington with "a very straightforward message (that) India is a major foreign policy priority to the United States."
"We consider India to be crucial global partner in 21st century," he added.
Burns held talks with Foreign Secretary Shiv Shankar Menon in the first senior-level contact between New Delhi's recently elected government and President Barack Obama's administration.
He also met Foreign Minister S.M. Krishna and Home Minister Palaniappan Chidambaram and is due to call on Prime Minister Manmohan Singh on Thursday.
The United States has been encouraging India to restart dialogue with Pakistan, after the talks stalled over November's attacks on Mumbai in which 166 people were killed.